Simple but delicious recipes, along with good tips and useful recommendations :)

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Elderflower and Elderberry Victoria Sandwich

Elderberry Victoria Sandwich

The trick to getting this right is to first weigh your eggs (whilst in their shells is easiest!). This is because when the eggs, butter, flour and sugar are all the same weight you get a perfect sponge!
Ingredients:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C or Gas mark 4. Grease and line two 18cm cake tins.

2. Using a wooden spoon beat the butter till its soft.

3. Add the sugar and beat with the wooden spoon until its creamy. The more effort you put into this bit the lighter your sponge will be :)

4. Add the eggs one by one, along with one tablespoon of the flour each time. Stir the mixture well inbetween eggs.

5. Add the Vanilla Essence with the last egg. You want it all to be well mixed in to form a light airy consistency.

6. Add the salt and sift in the flour half at a time. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour into the mixture. (To fold you scrape round the side of the bowl, then straight through the middle, until its mixed well)

7. The mixture should drop of the metal spoon easily, if not then add a spoonful of hot water.

8. Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly.

9. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly golden and springy

10. Once cooled, spread the jam on the top of one sponge, then place the other sponge on top.

11. Traditionally it is then sprinkled with caster sugar on top. However I like to add a good layer of icing sugar.

12. To make the elderflower icing sugar, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Mix one tablespoon of hot water with 3 tablespoons of cordial together in a cup, then gradually add the mixture, one spoon at a time, to the icing sugar until you get thick, smooth, glossy texture.

13. Spread the icing ontop of the cake. Start by pouring it all in the middle, then use a knife to spread to the sides. This way you should achieve a smooth layer of icing.

NB: if using 20cm tins or bigger increase the amount of eggs to four, and adjust the weights accordingly. Alternatively you can use one deep 18cm tin, and cut it in half horizontally, but you MUST wait until it is completely cooled.